Developing Hybrid Polymer Scaffolds Using Peptide Modified Biopolymers for Cell Implantation.

Polymeric scaffolds containing biomimics offer exciting therapies with broad potential impact for cellular therapies and thereby potentially improve success rates. Here we report the designing and fabrication of a hybrid scaffold that can prevent a foreign body reaction and maintain cell viability. A biodegradable acrylic based cross-linkable polycaprolactone based polymer was developed and using a multihead electrospinning station to fabricate hybrid scaffolds. This consists of cell growth factor mimics and factors to prevent a foreign body reaction. Transplantation studies were performed subcutaneously and in epididymal fat pad of immuno-competent Balb/c mice and immuno-suppressed B6 Rag1 mice and we demonstrated extensive neo-vascularization and maintenance of islet cell viability in subcutaneously implanted neonatal porcine islet cells for up to 20 weeks of post-transplant. This novel approach for cell transplantation can improve the revascularization and allow the integration of bioactive molecules such as cell adhesion molecules, growth factors, etc.